Councilman Predicts Bad Year For Library With Revenue Loss

January 14, 1986|by JANIS BARNEY, The Morning Call

Predicting next year will be the "worst one in a long time" for the Bethlehem Public Library, Bethlehem City Councilman James Delgrosso last night urged the library's director to consider impending funding cuts when planning programs.

Delgrosso warned fellow library board members that the loss of federal revenues by Bethlehem and outlying areas will cause "drastic decreases in funding" for the library.

Councilman Otto Ehrsam, a library board member, agreed, saying an area like Fountain Hill, which is largely residential, will be the hardest hit.

The discussion at last night's meeting began when Fountain Hill's representative to the board announced, "Things don't look good inFountain Hill." Mary Ferry said only three of Fountain Hill's seven councilmen support the library, which could bode ill for funding from the borough when the issue comes up in November.

"Any further departure of surrounding communities (from the library) means a decrease in state funds," Ehrsam added.

Bethlehem Township residents reaffirmed their withdrawal from the system in a November referendum.

Despite the bad news, other members were optimistic.

"There is a whole year," said Lower Saucon Township representative Pam Daves. "I think we can round up quite a bit of support. We need to start our (public relations), and we need to start it now."

Board members suggested inviting Fountain Hill and other area councilmen for a tour of the library.

A Feb. 3 workshop was scheduled to talk about the "challenges" the library will be facing. Board President Jan Brody of Bethlehem sug- gested considering a fund-raising campaign, beyond the library's endowment fund, to raise money for operating expenses. She said such a campaign could be announced at the March meeting and kicked off during National Library Week in April.

"I think there is enough support in the community" to collect funds above the money raised through taxes, she said. "There is . . . real love for this institution."

She mentioned a Bethlehem City Council meeting last month, when about 70 people stood and applauded to show their support for library funding.

Library Director Jack Berk reported that in 1985 the library took in more and spent less money than expected. In that year, 581,928 items were lent by the library, down 7 percent from 1984. He said he had expected the decrease to be greater with the loss of Bethlehem Township from the system.

Although Bethlehem City Councilhas not made its appointments to the board yet, the library board decided to re-elect its officers. The terms of Brody, Ehrsam and Frank Muhr all have expired, and because of a recent decision to send seven, rather than eight, representatives from the city, only two appointments need to be made.

The board members decided to go ahead with the elections, despite the possibility that Brody, re-elected president, might not be reappointed to the board. Others re-elected were Mary Jane Hook, vice president; Ferry, secretary, and Robert Cohen, treasurer.

Berk announced that repair work on the library roof has been completed. "We have to wait for heavy rains to see if it worked," he said.